A sweet carrot dessert always seems the most appropriate finale for an Easter celebration. Beautiful bright orange carrots are a harbinger of spring, plus a sweet carrot treat may attract the Easter bunny (I am assuming the bunny was vaccinated at the same time as Santa Claus!). To me, this cheesecake is a sophisticated twist for a festive holiday spread. Not that I have any problem with bunny cakes and colorful Easter candies, like this Carrot Coconut Cake. Roasted carrots with a hint of orange and a zing of ginger make this rich and decadent cheesecake with its vibrant orange hue a unique and delicious dessert.
When roasting the carrots, make sure they are oiled enough not to stick or burn, but not so much that your final puree will be oily. An oil spryer is helpful, but I usually pour a little oil into my hands and rub the carrot pieces to coat. Do not let oil pool on the roasting tray. I don’t recommend roasting at a higher temperature, but start on a cold oven so the carrots can soften but not char or turn too brown. Depending on the age and thickness of your carrots, the roasting time will vary, so check them every 15 minutes with a knife. The orange juice will help to make a smooth puree, as well as add a nice hint of flavor.
This cheesecake is delicious on its own, but for an added little touch, add a dollop of honey ginger whipped cream. In the photos here, I also garnished with some candied carrot curls, which are a bit of a fiddle, but a nice touch. Here is the method I used. I think it would also be lovely with some marzipan or chocolate carrots that you can sometimes buy this time of year.
Ingredients
- For the Crust
8 ounces ginger snap cookies
¼ cup granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- For the Filling
1 pound carrots, peeled
Zest and juice of one orange
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- Honey Ginger Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon ground ginger
3 Tablespoons honey
Directions
- First, line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper. Cut the peeled carrots into one inch pieces and very lightly coat or spray with olive oil. Do not let oil pool on the baking sheet – I put some oil in my hands and lightly rub it on the carrots. Spread the carrots out on the baking sheet in an even layer. Put the carrots in a cold oven and turn it to 350 degrees. Roast the carrots until a knife easily slides into a piece and they are lightly browned. This may take up to an hour, check every fifteen minutes. Clean out the food processor, then zest the orange into it and squeeze in the juice (no seeds!). When the carrots are soft, transfer to the food processor and blend until as smooth as possible, scraping the sides down as much as needed. Let cool.
- For the Crust
- Keep the oven at 350 degrees. Wrap the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan tightly with foil to make sure that water does not get into the pan during baking. Also find a high sided roasting pan that the springform pan comfortably fits in. Spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Put the ginger snaps in the cleaned bowl of the food processor and pulse to crush. Add the sugar and pulse to fine crumbs. Pour in the butter and blend to a wet sandy consistency. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press to an even layer, just slightly up the sides of the pan. I use the bottom of a glass to create a tight, smooth crust with no gaps. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven to cool completely. You will need 1 cup of carrot puree. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees.
- For the Filling
- Bring a kettle of water to the boil while you make the filling. Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attention until smooth. Add the granulated and brown sugar, the ginger, nutmeg and salt and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl. When the eggs are thoroughly combined, sprinkle over the flour, add the cooled carrot puree and sour cream and beat until very smooth and completely combined, again scraping the bowl. When combined, use a spatula to stir a few times to make sure any mixture on the bottom is combined. Place the springform pan in the roasting tin, then pour the filling onto the crust. It will likely fill the pan, smooth the top if needed. (Make sure you have lowered the temperature to 300 degrees). Transfer the pan to the oven rack, then pour the boiled water into the roasting tin. Bake for 1 hour then check that the center just slightly jiggles in the middle. If it still looks to unset, bake a further 10 – 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for one hour. This will help prevent cracking. Remove from the oven and from the water bath and cool completely on a rack. When cool, place a paper towel over the pan and then wrap loosely in plastic wrap (the paper towel will absorb any condensation). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight, then unmold the springform ring. Slice and serve, with whipped cream if desired.
- Honey Ginger Whipped Cream
- Put the cream and ginger in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until it begins to thicken. Drizzle over the honey, then beat until the cream holds stiff peaks.
Notes
- The cake will keep in the fridge for three days.
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